Facebook Guidance

Facebook is a social networking site that connects users who "like" similar information, groups, and individuals. The BLM manages Facebook pages at the national, state, and local levels to promote activities, programs, projects, and events and to direct users to the BLM's official website.

This online guidance outlines procedures for using Facebook for official BLM business.

I. Governance

The BLM's National Communications Directorate - through its New Media Team - provides national oversight of Facebook accounts for official external communication needs.

At this time, the BLM maintains national, state, and center Facebook pages. In addition, the BLM establishes local or specialty pages, such as Wild Horse and Burro and Law Enforcement, based on business need.

The BLM's New Media Team reviews all requests for external new media accounts, to include external new media sites, social networking, and other Web 2.0 services or tools. To establish a new media account, a Washington Office (WO) Directorate or State/Center External Affairs (EA) Office must complete the Social Media Request Form and submit the form to the BLM’s New Media Lead, Kaveh Sadeghzadeh, at kcsadegh@blm.gov .

A banner image that represents the BLM geographical location or program activity (recommended size of 851x315 pixels);

The boilerplate language for BLM official communicaton;

An approved description of the office, state, center, or program;

The link to an official BLM website;

A linked list of new media sites as applicable.

All official BLM Facebook pages must include the following sentence: "If you're looking for the official source of information about the Bureau of Land Management, please visit our homepage at [URL link]."

Official BLM Facebook pages may include additional information, such as address and telephone number.

III. Technical Requirements

BLM Facebook pages must comply with the following technical requirements.

[1] All content posted to an official BLM Facebook page will first appear substantively on the BLM's external website.

[2] Because Facebook does not include closed captioning, video references or posts on an official BLM Facebook page will link to a video on YouTube or the BLM's external website.

[3] Only authorized employees or administrators will post directly to the wall of an official BLM Facebook page.

[4] Official BLM Facebook pages will like all other BLM pages. Other recommended pages to like include but are not limited to: the Department of the Interior and its bureaus; the White House; local congressmen; federal, state, and local governments; local news outlets; organizations with which the BLM partners; and other entities that may post information on BLM issues. Official BLM Facebook pages should like organizations or individuals only when it is in the best interest of the agency.